Toy train switch



JNVENTOR. RoasRT E. HlRTENsmN .IIIII nited States Patent TOY TRAIN SWITCH Robert E. Hirtenstein, Chicago, Ill.

Application April 13, 1953, Serial No. 348,424

3 Claims. (Cl. 246-419) This invention relates to toy railways and particularly to switches for the same, applying to three-rail track. It improves such switches by making them considerably more realistic looking and at the same time simpler in operation, at no added expense whatsoever.

Heretofore there have been two types of switches commonly used for three-rail toy train railroads. One type contains, in addition to the fixed, curved and straight running rails, a switching unit wherein a curved guide rail and a straight guide rail are permanently attached to an insulated ilat plate that swivels around a xed point centrally located on the insulated plate. When the switch is set to go straight, the straight guide rail functions as a running rail, while the curved guide rail, through proper electrical connections, has the function of the powered center rail. Conversely, where the switch is set to go curved, the curved guide rail functions as a running rail while the straight guide rail, through proper electrical connections, has the function of the powered center rail. It is to be noted that this type of switch has no frog and consequently lacks the appearance of a true railroad switch. Y

The second type employs all of the elements of a standard railroad switch, namely fixed, straight and curved running rails, a frog, two guard rails, plus two movable points for "guiding the rolling -s'tock ori-to either the curved or straight running rails. In addition to the above parts, a lixed third rail of appropriate shape is employed for carrying current to the power pickup shoe of a locomotive and cars. It is to be noted that the center third rail detracts from the appearance and often results in faulty operation because the ordinary toy locomotive is `so constructed that there is a rise andfall in the power pickup, as it passes over this center third rail, which may cause the shoe to catch, thus resulting in derailment. In addition, the short running rails extending from the frog to the points must be insulated in order to avoid a short circuit when the locomotive passes over them.

My new switch eliminates these shortcomings of the earlier types of toy railway switches.

The details of my switch will be described hereinafter, with reference to the drawing which shows a preferred embodiment of the new device. It must be understood that details of the illustration and description are provided only for purposes of greatest clarity and that the invention is dened only by the claims appended hereto.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a top plan view of a righthand toy railway switch according to this invention.

Figure 2 is a section through said switch along lines 2-2 in Figure l.

Figure 3 is a section through said switch along lines 3-3 in Figure l.

Referring to these drawings, the toy track base may be of molded plastic, coated sheet metal or other suitable electrically insulating materials. The top of the base has integral electrically insulating ties 11 formed thereon or therein. These ties support and hold the metallic electri- 2 cally conducting rails 12A and 12B, engaged by the driving and lsupporting wheels of the train, and the middle rail 13 whereby electricity is fed to the toy engine in known manner.

Integrally formed in the top of the base 10, in line with the rails 12A, 12B and 13, there is an insulated frog or crossover element 19 and two guard rails 20. Adjacent and in line with this frog, a track switch is formed; that is, at said location the inner running rail 12A bends away from its original direction to form rail 12A1, while by means 'of switch elements to be described presently, a train can also continue in the original direction upon rail `12A2. Likewise the outer running rail 12B, by the switch element to be described, can be continued in the bent-'off direction as rail 12B1, while otherwise it continues in the original direction 12B2. The middle rail 13 i`s structurally replaced, over the switch area, in a manner to be explained now, without interruption of the supply of electricity within said area. For this latter purpose a spring contactor 21 is permanently connected with rail 13 by lugs extending through base 10, and with rails 13-1, 13'2 by wires or other means, and selectively connected with either of the movable rails to' be described.

The middle rail 13 extending from the left-hand end of the present switch unit to the starting point of the switch area ends at this point, while the middle rail 13-1, extending from the right-hand end i-n the bent-olf direc-- tion, similarly ends at the approach of the switch area at left end of frog 19, as does the middle track 13-2 extending from the right-hand end in the original direction. Between said e'nd points, movable rails or switch points 14 and 15 are provided, extending from the extreme left end points of frog 19 to the left in such a way that either point ends just short of center rail 13. Here, either point 14 or 15 is engaged by the free end of the contactor 21,

- depending upon the position o'f the switch, controlled by 'both poi-nts 414, 15, but electrically insulate's them from one another.

It will be 'seen that vmy Vinvention combines all of `the elements of the true railroad switch and eliminates both the fixed third rail in the switch area and the swiveling switch plate previously used, both of which are unsightly, unrealistic and unnecessarily complicated.

My switch also eliminates the danger of derailment by the seemingly simple expedient of pivoting each of the switch points 14 and 15 independently, directly adjacent to its end, as clearly shown at 17 and 18; that is, in the direct vicinity of the frog or cross-over element 19. This independent pivoting also facilitates the necessary, electrical insulation between points 14, 15.

Experience has indicated that, with identical train devices and operations, materially enhanced mechanical safety is provided by the new construction as described, in addition to the improved appearance, simplified electric hook-up and general economy.

In connection with mechanical safety it is particularly important that the outer one of the two independently connected and pivoted swtich points (point 15) has accurate curvature concentric with the curvature of the bend in the inner rail 12A, since this switch point 15 in one of its positions must support and guide the outer wheel of the toy engine racing around the bend and switch area. In the position of switch points 14 and 15 as shown in Figure l, switch point 14 is the running rail connecting `12A to 12A2 through frog 19; switch point 15 acts as .fthe center power rail, making electrical contact through spring contactor 21. The position of the switch points can be reversed either manually or with a switch motor by a connection to operating bar 16. Power supply to the middle rail in the switch area (14 or 15) is practically Iuninterrupted.

Finally, I have found that by having the running rails, the raised parts of frog 19, and the switch points 14 and 15 of equal height, I am able to eliminate any rise and fall in the third rail pickup shoe of a toy train locomotive; j

I claim:

1. 'A switch for an electric three-rail toy railroad having a main line and a branch line, said switch comprising: an insulated base; a straight track section including stationary outer, inner and middle rails mounted on said base and connectable in the railroad main line; a second track section including stationary outer, inner and middle rails mounted on said base, connectable with -the railroad branch line, and leading into said straight track section; an insulated stationary frog in the area of interv section between said track sections and including heel track elements and paired toe track elements, the heel track elements including portions of the inner rail of said straight track section and the outer rail of second track section, one of the paired toe track elements intersecting the middle rail of said straight track section and the other of the paired toe track elements intersecting the middle rail of said second track section; means for controlling train movement through either one of said track sections, said means including a pair of switch points, one of said switch points being pivotably connected to said base at a point immediately adjacent to the area of intersection between the middle rail of said straight track section and said one of the toe track elements, said one switch point being swingable between the outer and middle rails of said straight track section, the other of said switch points being pivotally connected with said base at a point immediately adjacent to the area of intersection between the middle rail of said second track section and said other of the toe track elements, said other switch point being swingable between the middle and inner rails of `said straight track section; circuit means insuring .that the switch point positioned before the middle rail of said straight track section is electrically continuous therewith; and means joined with said switch points for swinging the same in unison.

2. A switch as described in claim 1 wherein said circuit means includes a spring contactor engageable by either 'one of the free switch point ends, and means electrically connecting said contactor permanently with said middle rails on both sides of said frog.

3. A switch for an electric three-rail toy railroad having main and branch lines, said switch comprising: an insulated base; a straight track section including stationary wheel bearing and middle rails mounted on said base and connectable in said main line; a second track section including stationary wheel bearing and middle rails mounted on said base, connectable with said branch line, and intersecting said straight track section in a switching area whereat said middle rails and one of the rails of said wheel bearing rails of each track section are interrupted; an insulated stationary frog in said switching area, having heel track elements comprising portions of the wheel bearing rails of said track sections, and toe track elements intersecting said middle rails; ya pair of conducting switch points extending across said switching area for directing train movement therethrough into the main line or the branch line, each switch point being independently pivoted to Said base at an end immediately adjacent to the intersection of one of said toe track elements with 4a middle rail, the free ends of said switch points being swingable between the middle rail and a `wheel bearing rail of said first track section; means joined with said free ends for swinging said switch points in unison, whereby only one switch point free end is positionable before said straight track section middle rail at any one time; and means for insuring that either one of the conducting switch points positioned before the middle rail of the straight track section is electrically continuous therewith.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 560,743 Newell May 26, 1896 1,692,367 Becker Nov. 20, 1928 1,783,069 Becker Nov. 25, 1930 2,161,424 McKeige et al. June 6, 1939 2,447,273 Patrick Aug. 17, 1948 2,707,606 Smith May 3, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 112,328 Great Britain Jan. 10, 1918 

